DS Daily - 16th April 2013

6,000 followers on twitter!

DrugScope now has 6,000 followers on twitter. Many thanks to all our followers and if you haven't joined us yet then please do for the latest about what we're doing, as well as updates on news stories, new reports etc | DrugScope, UK

Making the connection: Developing integrated approaches to domestic violence and substance misuse (PDF)

This is the final report of DrugScope/LDAN’s Domestic Violence project, which ran for four years and was funded by London Councils, and which focused on the development of a cross-sectoral network bringing together domestic violence and drug and alcohol services. The report presents the key learning from the project | DrugScope, UK

Attack of the vapers: why electronic cigarettes are on the rise

New research shows electronic cigarettes are one of the most effective ways to quit smoking — and in pubs across London everyone is lighting up. Richard Godwin on the cult of e-fags | London Evening Standard, UK

Beer taste excites male brain

Just a tiny taste of your favourite tipple can excite the brain and increase the urge to drink, even without any effect of alcohol - according to a study on 49 men | BBC, UK

Afghanistan: high expectations of record opium crop

UN report reveals rapid growth of poppy farming as western troops get ready to withdraw, which reflects badly on Britain | Guardian, UK

Afghan farmers return to opium as other markets fail

Three times as much opium was produced in Helmand last year as when British troops went there in 2006, and a new UN forecast says that this year's crop will be even higher. Opium is the raw material for heroin, and most of the illegal drugs for sale on the UK's streets come from Afghanistan | BBC, UK

Did cocaine use by bankers cause the global financial crisis?

Coked-up bankers caused the credit crunch, according to the former drug tsar David Nutt. One former City worker can well believe it | Guardian, UK

Alcohol Concern Family Training - video

Over the last two years, this specialist training has been delivered by Alcohol Concern to nearly 1000 participants | Alcohol Concern, YouTube, UK

Crossing the line

Lucy Rocca, founder of the Soberistas website, shares her thoughts below on the question that many drinkers will ask themselves: how do you know when you have stepped over the invisible line separating ‘normal drinking’ and ‘problem drinking’? | Alcohol Concern Blog, UK

Taking Stock: Surveying Needle & Syringe Programmes in England

Earlier this month, the National Needle Exchange Forum (NNEF), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the newly formed Public Health England (PHE) announced a country-wide survey of needle and syringe programmes | Injecting Advice, UK

Millwall fans' Wembley riot fuelled by cocaine

Lions supporters said they saw groups of men “blatantly” taking the Class A drug on the Wembley concourses before the match against Wigan Athletic and again at half-time | Mirror, UK

The psychedelic Countess on a mushroom mission to free your mind

Lady Neidpath, who once drilled a hole in her own head, is dead serious about drugs. Nick Curtis hears why our fear of illegal highs means we could be missing out on cures for depression | London Evening Standard, UK

Keeping up to date with mental health research

Reliable health information is reaching a far wider audience now, but how can mental health professionals decide what to choose? | Guardian, UK

DrugWorld newsletter (PDF)

Updates from around the world on drug production, trafficking and supply | DrugWorld, UK

Churwell man urges help to save Leeds alcohol addiction centre

Mark Smith is a recovering alcoholic who has battled a drink problem for 19 years | Morley Observer, UK

'Wipe the slate clean' for jobseekers with convictions

Tackling the discrimination faced by former offenders in the job market is vital to reducing reoffending, says Mark Day of the Prison Reform Trust | PoliticsHome, UK

Drug overdose prevention could be right at our fingertips

A non-narcotic drug called Naloxone can reverse a potentially fatal opiate overdose. Those close to patients and addicts should be taught to use it | LA Times, USA

Heroin is back. Is your neighborhood next?

Powerful prescription painkillers have become pricier and harder to use. So addicts across the USA are turning to this more volatile drug. The new twist: Heroin is no longer just an inner-city plague | USA Today, USA

Teen Smoking Influenced by Middle-School Peers, Parents

New research suggests middle school peer groups influence an adolescent’s smoking behavior more than high school friends | PsychCentral, USA

Regulating Density of Alcohol Outlets a Promising Strategy to Improve Public Health

Regulating alcohol outlet density, or the number of physical locations in which alcoholic beverages are available for purchase in a geographic area, is an effective strategy for reducing excessive alcohol consumption and associated harms | Science Daily, USA